Sterilizer for receptacle washers



July 22, 1947. c. L. TRIER Er AL 2,424,342

STERILIZER FOR RECEPTACLE WASHERS Original Filed May 16, 1940` 2 Sheets-Sheet l f 1% i AT5/@25x29 July 22 3947- c. L.. TRIER' Er A| 2,424,342

STERILIZER FOR RECEPTACLE WASHERS original Filed may 1e, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 Maier' Patented July 22, 1947` STERILIZER FOR RECEPTACLE WASHER/S Carl L. Trier and James H. Livingston, 3d, Baltimore, Md., assignors to Cherry-Burrell Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation Original application May 16, 1940, Serial No. 335,546. Divided and this application June 12, 1942, Serial No. 446,718

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a sterilizing apparatus for sterilizing receptacles. More particularly the invention relates to apparatus for automatically mixing sterilizing fluid and other fluid, such as water, in predetermined proportions and dispensing the mixed and blended uids in a controlled. manner into or onto receptacles to be sterilized.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is shown as part of the general assembly of a bottle washing machine wherein the apparatus embodying the invention is adapted to effect the automatic sterilization of the final rinsing water for the cleansed bottles before such'bottles are discharged from the bottle washing machine.

This application is a division of our co-pending application, Serial No. 335,546, filed May 16, 1940, now Patent No. 2,331,518, granted October 12, 1943, and entitled Apparatus and method for sterilizing flowing water.

The detailed construction of the bottle Washing apparatus, portions of which have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, are shown in greater detail in the U. S. Patent No. 2,367,652.

vIn the conventional bottle washing machines it is common practice to provide a sump or basin for sterilizing solutions, for example, sterilized water which has been sterilized by adding a desired quantity of suitable hypo-chloride solutions of the desired concentration for the purpose of sterilizing the water and the bottles to be rinsed therewith. In such apparatus a sterilized solution of water is normally used as the final rinse for the bottles. Such final rinsing is conventionally secured by pumping the sterilized water from the `sump or reservoir through spray nozzles onto and into the bottles to thoroughly rinse them therewith.

The sterilized water thus used drains back to the sump or reservoir for subsequent re-use. Obviously a small percentage of the sterilized Water is carried away by the bottles and some of the water evaporates. To replace these losses fresh water is added to the sterilized water in the reservoir. To maintain the desired concentration oi the water in the reservoir as the machine is operated, additional sterilizing solution is added to the contents of the reservoir from a small supply reservoir through a nicely controlled discharge tube. Obviously, if the bottle washing machine is shut down for a short time without also shutting oif the continued supply of sterilizing solution to the contents of the reservoir, the concentration of the sterilizing solution in the reservoir will soon become excessively high.

20 valves, etc.

2 Excessive lconcentration of the sterilizing solution may result in bringing about an ofi-flavor in the product lled into the washed and sterilized bottles. On the other hand, if the supply of ster- 5 ilizing solution supplied to the contents of the reservoir is not sufcient, the sterilized rinse water may soon be of such low concentration as to be ineiiective. At any rate the conventional mechanism for effecting sterilization of the sterile rinse water in a bottle washing machine requires careful adjustment and continued observation if satisfactory results are to be obtained.

In the conventional arrangement for sterilizing bottles, as just described, it is common practice to use pumps for the recirculation of the sterilizing rinse water. These sterilized rinsing waters are usually sterilized by the use of chlorine solutions which, due to their corrosiveness, have very detrimental effects on apparatus, such as pumps, The continued recirculation of the sterilizing water obviously will also result in the pollution of the sterilized Water which will necessitate replacement thereof from. time to time. Such replacement of the sterilized rinse will require a special treatment of the iresh rinsing Water as it is supplied to the reservoir for the sterilized rinse to sterilize the same since the small sterilizing fluid reservoir, which usually discharges into the rinse water through a drip type of cock, is intended only to maintain the desired concentration of an already sterilized solution and is not of sufficient capacity to sterilize an entirely new batch of rinsing solution.

In other apparatus of the automatic type for the sterilization of liquids, especially for the sterilization of intermittently flowing streams of liquid, a most common defect is the over-concentration or under-concentration of the first portions of the streams of sterilized liquid immediately following each of the interruptions of the iioW of the liquid. In an intermittently flowing stream of liquid, such as would be used in a sterilizing rinse in a bottle washer, the possible overchlorination of the stream following each interruption of the flow would be a defect of prime importance.

The primary object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an apparatus as described, adapted to mix and proportion sterilizing fluid in a flow..

ing stream of liquid, such as water, in an accurately controlled manner in which the quantity of sterilizing iiuid to be added to the liquid is governed by the velocity of the owing stream of liquid so that, regardless of the amount of liquid required, thedesired proportion between the sterilizing uid and the sterilized liquid will remain constant; in which the mixing and proportioning apparatus is automatic in operation regardless of the nature of the flow of the stream of liquid, whether it be fast or slow or whether it be continuous or intermittent; in which the mixing and proportioning apparatus is capable of adding great or small proportions of sterilizing fluid t the flowing stream of liquid; in which adjustments necessary to secure the desired operation of the entire combination are easily secured without the use of complicated apparatus; in which the various cooperating elements are relatively adjustable to enablev their adaptation to the normal variations in operating conditions; in which excessive or inadequate sterilization of the liquid is automatically prevented after the apparatus is once satisfactorily adjusted; and in which the necessary apparatus is simple, reliable,` efficient and inexpensive.

The foregoing and other objects and important features of the present invention Will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the drawings, appended claims and upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular species thereof as set forth by the drawings and description of the preferred embodiment as obviously other embodiments thereof may be devised within the scope of the appended claims.

The preferred embodiment of the invention as adapted for use in a bottle washer is shown in the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view showing in side elevation a bottle washer provided with the improved water sterilizing apparatus.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view, partially in broken-away sectionJ showing the arrangement of elements and parts of the improved sterilizing apparatus.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the improved ejector and mixing nozzle of the sterilizing apparatus.

Figure 4 is a detail view showing the adjustable support for the sterilizing fluid container.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals are used to identify like elements, I0 represents a support for the casing II of a bottle Washing machine which is provided at one end with a loading station A and a discharge station B.

In the operation of the bottle Washing machine, soiled bottles to be washed are normally loaded onto a tiltable receiving table I2 which, through appropriate linkages I3, is intermittently tilted to pass the bottles onto an intermittently movable transfer table (not shown) which is synchronized in its motions with table I2 to pass the bottles I4 onto the bottle washer conveyor I5 4positioned on the inside of the casing II The bottles I4 are then transported by the conveyor I5 through the various bottle soaking, washing, rinsing and sterilizing operations to be subsequently discharged from the conveyor I5 onto a discharge transfer table I6. The transfer table I6 in turn directs the bottles I4 onto a discharge conveyor I l. Like unto the tiltable receiving table I2 and the infeed transfer table which receives the bottles from the table I2, the discharge transfer table I6 is synchronized with the motions of the conveyor I5. Such synchronism is obtained by any suitable arrangement of linkages of the conventional type.

The conveyor I5 is comprised of spaced conveyor chains consisting of links I8 and rollers I9 which are supported on spaced conveyor tracks (not shown) on the interior of thebottle washer casing II'. Intermediate the spaced conveyor chains is provided a series of transversely extending rows of bottle pockets 20 which are supported in the conventional manner upon framework structure extending between the conveyor chains, which pockets 20 are provided with openings at each end, and which pockets support the bottles I4 in spaced'relation thereto.

The conveyor I5 is preferably given an intermittent step-by-step motion in any suitable manner, such, for example, as by driving arms 2| provided with dogs 22 pivoted thereto for engagement with the rollers I9 of the conveyor chains. Upon the clockwise partial rotations of the arms 2| the conveyor I5 will be moved forwardly due to the engagement of the dogs 22 with the rollers I9 of the conveyor chains. The extent of the movement of the arms 2l is, of course, regulated by suitable driving mechanisms (not shown) which act on the rock shaft 23 to which the arms 2I are keyed and upon which the arms 2I are supported to thereby move the conveyor I5 in steps equal in length to the distance between adjacent rows of the bottle pockets 20 of the conveyor I5.

The starting and stopping positions of each intermittent step of the conveyor I5 are such that. dur-ing each period of dwell between the intermittent steps of the movement of the conveyor I5, a bottle pocket 20 will come to rest with the opening' in the' bottom of the bottle pocket placed in registry with the nozzles or orifices 25 of the wash water spraying mechanism positioned immediately below the bottle pocket duringthe period of rest. The driving mechanisms which effect the rocking motion of the conveyor moving arms 2| through the rock shaft 23 are synchronizedv in the conventional manner and by the use of conventional mechanism, such, for example, as illustrated in U. S. Patent No. 2,367,652, in their actions with'the actionsof the driving linkages which actuate the various bottle transfer tables at the infeed and discharge stations A and B.

The general arrangement of bottle infeed, bottle discharge and bottle conveying mechanism of the bottle washer, as just described and as shown in the drawings, as well as the synchronized driving mechanisms therefor, are all more or less of the conventional type quite commonly used in commercial automatic bottle Washers in which substantially all of the moving elements thereof are normally driven by a` central power unit 24 through suitable driving mechanisms and linkages. An example of a synchronized driving mechanism and an example of a central power station in a bottle washer of the type contemplated by the instant invention are illustrated in the U. S. Patent No. 2,367,652.

The various wash water spraying or rinsing oriflces 25 are supplied with washing or rinsing water through conduits 26 which are supplied in the conventional manner either from a source of pressure water, such as city Water supply, or from a water recirculating pump. Some of the washing water may in the conventional manner be circulated through certain portions of the bottle washer for the purpose of heating or cooling the Water tothe desired temperature.

' Ihe rinse Water is supplied to the rinse header 51 through the pipe 56 which kpipe is shown in broken-away section in Figure 1 for the purpose of clarity.

In the procedure of washing bottles in the automatic bottle washers, the bottles are normally subjected to a pre-rinsing operation at the infeed station A. After pre-rinsing the bottles, if the washer is of a soaker washer type, the bottles are carried by the conveyor through a soaking solution in which the bottles remain submerged for some time. From the soaking solution the bottles are elevated to the upper portion of the washing machine and, while being elevated, are inverted and drained of their content of soaking solution. In the upper portion of the washer the bottles are subjected to a powered wash with a tempered water which may be sprayed onto the bottles. This tempered wash is normally followed by a cold rinse and then, immediately before the bottles reach the discharge station B, they are subjected to a sterilizing rinse which normally consists of cold chlorinated water.

The present invention is primarily concerned with the improvements in apparatus used in the sterilizing or chlorinating of water utilized for sterilizing bottles or other receptacles immediately before they are discharged from an automatic receptacle washing machine. As previously stated, the sterilizing station is normally positioned immediately ahead of the discharge station in the path of the travel of the conveyor I5 which, as shown in Figure l, travels in a clockwise direction.

The sterilizing rinse is supplied to the bottles While they are supported in the pockets in the form of a spray from the duct-like spray nozzles or orices 21 which are positioned in the upper wall of the sterilized water header or discharge tube 28. The header or discharge tube 28 is positioned immediately below a station of dwell of the transversely extending row of bottle pockets 29 carried by the intermittently movable conveyor i5 and completely bridges the space between the chains of the conveyor l5 at the sterilizing position.

The header or discharge tube 28 communicates with one end of the conduit 2S through which water under pressure is supplied to the tube 28. into the conduit 29 through an automatically operable whistle valve 3U communicating with the opposite end of the conduit 29 and with a conduit 3i which supplies water under pressure.

By the intermittent opening and closing of the valve 30 water is forced to flow through conduit 29 into the discharge tube 28 and out of the nozzles 21 in intermittent sprays or streams. The period of frequency of these intermittent sprays is synchronized with the periods of dwell of the conveyor l5 so that at the time of each discharge of liquid from the nozzles 21 a row of bottle pockets 2G with its bottles I4 will be registered with the nozzles `21.

Such synchronized automatic opening and closing of the valve 32 is effected by the pivoted lever 32 which, when rocked on its pivot 33 toward the valve 30 by link 34, contacts and compressively engages the spring-biased valve stem 35 of the valve 3E), thereby opening the valve. Upon the retraction of the pivoted lever 32 in the opposite direction the valve Sil, due to its constructional and operative characteristics, will automatically close. Link 34 may be actuated in any conventional manner, such, for example, as by a pivoted cam follower 54 which engages The water under pressure is admitted* 6 a cam 36 geared to and driven by the primary power unit 24 in any desired manner.

As above set forth in the preceding paragraph, the operation of the valve 3l) is synchronized `with the operation of the power unit 24 which in turn drives the infeed, discharge and conveying mechanisms of the bottle washer, all of whichoperite in synchronism with the central power unit 24. By this arrangement it is possible to time the opening and closing of the valve 3i] with the periods of dwell of the conveyor l5.

A fluid injector or suction T 31 comprising a tubular body provided with a longitudinal passage is placed in conduit 29 so that the longitudinal passage .of the T 31 communicates with the conduit 29 through the intake aperture 38 and the discharge aperture 39 of the suction T 31. The adjacent ends of the conduit 29 are threaded into the intake and discharge apertures 38 and 39 of the suction T 31 so as to establish a sealed communication between the conduit 29 and the T 31.

The longitudinal passage of the T 31 is provided with two partitions having flow restricting apertures 40 and 4| into which are threaded a pressure nozzle 42 and suction nozzle 43, respectively. The pressure nozzle 42 is provided -with a converging throat 44 converging in the direction of flow of water passing through the longitudinal passage of the suction T 31. The suction nozzle is provided with a diverging throat 45 which diverges in the direction of the iiow of the water passing through the longitudinal passage of the suction T 31. The throats 44 and 45 of the nozzles 42 and 43 are in axial alinement one with another and with the axis of the longitudinal passage of the suction T and are positioned with their minimum diametered ends closely adjacent one another.

By this arrangement of the converging and diverging throats 44 and 45 the stream of high pressure water jutting forth from the restricted end of the throat 44 of the pressure nozzle 42 will be centrally directed into the restricted end of the suction throat 45 of the nozzle 43, thereby causing a suction in the portion of the longitudinal passage of the T 31 between the two partitions supporting the nozzles 42 and 43. Such a suction between these two partitions will induce a flow through the sterilizing fluid conducting pipe 45 which communicates with the space between the said partitions 40 and 4l through the aperture 41 in the wall of the T 31 into which aperture the end of the pipe 45 is threaded to establish a sealed communication.

Upon the opening of the valve 30 the high pressure water will flow rapidly through conduit 29 and through the nozzles 42 and 43 of the T 31, thereby inducing a flow of sterilizing fluid through the pipe 46 in proportion to the flow of water through the conduit 29. The sterilizing fluid is thus drawn into the suction nozzle 43 and mixed lwith the water passing therethrough, sterilizing the same before the mixed water and sterilizing fluid is sprayed through nozzles 21 ofy the discharge tube 28 into and over the bottles on the conveyor I5 While they dwell over the position of the dischargetube 28.

' The sterilizing fluid which normally consists of a hypo-chloride solution is supplied to the pipe 46 from an open reservoir 48. The reservoir 48 is supported at approximately the elevation of the nozzles 21 by a bracket 49 fixed to the washer casing Il. The reservoir 48 is supplied withvsterilizing uid from an inverted carboy 5U provided with a discharge tube in its downwardly directed mouth. The-discharge tube 5I extends into the reservoir 48 to exactly the elevation of the discharge openings in the nozzles 21, as indicated by line 52-52 of Figure 2 of the drawings.

Obviously, in the installations of the bottle washing machines provided with sterilizing apparatus, as just described, it may be necessary to adjust the elevation of the carboy 5U to secure the essential and desired relation between the elevation of the sterilizing fluid in the reservoir 48 and the elevation of the orifices of the nozzles 21. To facilitate such adjustment of the carboy 50 it is adjustably supported by a holder 53 upon the bracket 49. The holder 53 is adjustably supported in any conventional manner, such, for example, as by providing complementary slots in the portion of the holder 53 and bracket 43 through which the clamping bolts pass.

By this arrangement the level of the fluid in the reservoir 48 will rise to the bottom of the discharge tube 5I of the carboy 50 which has previously been adjusted to the same elevation as the orifices of the nozzles 21, thereby assuring the maintenance of the level of the liquid in the reservoir 48 at the same elevation as the orifices of the nozzles 21. Obviously, therefore, when the level of the liquid in the supply reservoir 484 is of the same elevation as the discharge apertures or orifices of the nozzles 21 and the conduit 29, suction T 31 and pipe 46 are each filled with water or sterilizing fluid, no flow of fluid in any portion of any of these combined elements will occur excepting when valve 30 is opened to the high pressure water supply to produce the initial flow through the conduit 29.

By the above described arrangement a sterilizing apparatus is provided which, due to its unique construction and method of operation, achieves the various objectives and advantages set forth in the foregoing part of the specification. However, it may from time t0 time be desired to adjust the quantity of sterilizing uid which is admitted into the suction T 31 to thereby secure the desired degree o-f concentration of the sterilizing fluid in the mixture of fresh water and sterilizing fluid discharged through the nozzles 21. For that purpose a valve 55 is provided in the sterilizing fluid supply pipe 46. By the proper adjustment of the valve 55 the quantity of sterilizing fluid flowing therethrough may be regulated, thus also regulating the resultant concentration of the sterilizing fluid in the sterilized water discharged from the nozzles 21. For the purpose of preventing the tendency of the sterilizing fluid to drain by gravity into the suction T 31 if the suction T is positioned below the elevation of the reservoir 48 it may be desirable to position a portion of the sterilizing fluid conducting pipe 4B at an elevation above the level of the suction T 31 and above the elevation of the sterilizing liquid reservoir 48.

Having thus described the invention and the preferred embodiment thereof, in which certain of the improved features and advantages have been particularly stressed, it is desired to point out that the preferred embodiment of the invention is probably subject to various modifications as to form and details of construction which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examining the specification, drawings and claims. Accordingly, it is desired to point out that this 'invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure except in so far as it is necessitated by the teachings of the prior artand... the

spirit of the appendedclaims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. A device ofA the type described, comprising, in combination, a conduit, a source of 'liquid under pressure, valvemeans f or admitting liquid from saidsource intosaid. conduit, a discharge opening in said conduct` at a bottle rinsing position, said opening being directed to anadjacent bottle support of an intermittently movable conveyor of said` bottle washing machine during a period of dwell-of said conveyor, means for imparting la step-by-step motion to said conveyor with periods of dwellbetween successive steps, means for intermittently opening and closing saidvvalve during periods of dwellof said conveyor, injector means communicating with said conduit intermediate said valve and said discharge opening for automatically injecting a chlorinating fluid into said conduit at the time of and in proportion to the quantity of liquid flowing therethrough, said injector means being so constructed and arranged that the flow of liquid through said conduit will induce a proportionate ow of chlorinating fluid through said injector means, a supply receptacle for chlorinatinig fluid, chlorinating fluid conducting means between said receptacle and said injector means, adjustable flow restricting means in said chlorinating fluid conducting means, and adjustable means for automatically maintainingl a supply of chlorinating fluid` in said supply receptacle at the level of the discharge opening in said conduit, whereby the flow of chlorinating fluid into said conduit will occur only while liquid is flowing through said conduit.

2, A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a conveyor having carriers for bottles to be sterilized, a sterilizing liquid discharge tube extending transversely of said conveyor at a predetermined station thereof and provided with orifice means spaced for registry with bottle means supported by said carriers at said station, means for imparting to said conveyor an intermittent step-by-step movement with intervening periods of dwell between said steps, a. conduit for liquid communicating with said tube, a valve in said conduit, a source of supply of liquid under pressure communicating with said valve for intermittent admission to said conduit through said valve, means for intermittently opening and closing said valve during periods of dwell of said conveyor, means in said conduit between said valve and said discharge tube having an enlarged passage there,- through, a suction nozzle in said passage, a pressure nozzle in said passage immediately ahead of said suction nozzle for directing a stream of said liquid under pressure into Asaid suction nozzle when said valve is open, fluid conducting means communicating with said passage adjacent the point intermediate said pressure and said suction nozzle for supplying sterilizing fluid into said passage at `the entrance portion of said suction nozzle, said pressure nozzle, said suction nozzle and said passage being so constructed as to induce a flow in said fluid conducting means proportionate to the iiow of liquid through said conduit, a reservoir for sterilizing fluid communicating with said fluid conducting means, said reservoir being so positioned and arranged that the level of the sterilizing fluid therein is of the elevation of the orifices in said discharge tube, and automatic means for supplying sterilizing uid to said reservoir and maintaining said uid therein at a constant level.

3. A device for supplying sterilizing liuid to a receptacle sterilizing position in a receptacle cleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, a conduit, a source of fluid under pressure, ow control means for controlling the flow of fluid from said source into said conduit, a fluid discharge opening in said conduit at a receptacle sterilizing position, said opening being directed to a point in the path of travel of a receptacle conveyor of said cleaning apparatus, means for imparting intermittent motion to said conveyor, means for intermittently opening and closing said flow control means, injector means communicating with said conduit intermediate said flow control means and said uid discharge opening for injecting a sterilizing fluid into said conduit at the time of the flow of said rst mentioned fluid therethrough and in proportion thereto, said injector means being so constructed and arranged that the flow of said first mentioned fluid through said conduit will induce a proportionate flow of said sterilizing fluid through said injector means into said conduit, a sterilizing fluid supply receptacle, and sterilizing fluid conducting means between said supplyreceptacle and said injector means.

4. A device for supplying sterilizing fluid to a, receptacle sterilizing position in a receptacle cleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, a, conduit, a source of fluid under pressure, now control means for controlling the flow of fluid from said source into said conduit, a iluid discharge opening in said conduit at a receptacle sterilizing position, said opening being directed to a point in the path of travel of a receptacle conveyor of said cleaning apparatus, means for imparting intermittent motion to said conveyor, means for intermittently opening and closing said flow control means, injector means communicating with said conduit intermediate said iiow control means and said fluid discharge opening for injecting a sterilizing uid into said conduit at the time of the ow of said first mentioned uid therethrough and in proportion thereto, said injector means being so constructed and arranged that the flow of said first mentioned fluid through said conv duit will induce a proportionate ow of said sterilizing iluid through said injector means into said conduit, a sterilizing fluid supply receptacle, sterilizing fluid conducting means between said supply receptacle and said injector means, adjustable iiow restricting means in said sterilizing fluid conducting means, and adjustable means for automatically maintaining a supply of sterilizing fluid in said supply receptacle at the level of the discharge opening in said first mentioned conduit, whereby the flow of sterilizing fluid into said conduit will occur only While the rst mentioned fluid is flowing through said conduit.

CARL L. TRIER.

JAMES I-I. LIVINGSTON, 3D.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,608,634 Taylor Nov. 30, 1926 1,652,654 Wolfinger Dec. 13, 1927 1,734,585 Ladewig Nov. 5, 1929 1,847,003 Fulton Feb. 23, 1932 2,331,518 Trier et al Oct. 12, 1943 

